September 24, 2020

House Passes Clean Energy Package with New Democrat Coalition-Led Provisions

The NDC secured several New Dem priorities in the Clean Economy Jobs & Innovation Act

Today, New Democrat Coalition (NDC) Chair Derek Kilmer (WA-06) and Vice Chair Suzan DelBene (WA-01) issued a statement following House passage of H.R. 4447, the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act. The legislative package invests in clean energy development to promote a cleaner, more sustainable energy future that drives innovation, helps create good jobs for American workers, and makes progress in the fight against climate change.

Earlier this summer, the Coalition urged for House consideration of several New Dem-endorsed bills that are part of the NDC’s Principles for U.S. Climate Policy and broader agenda of ambitious and actionable legislation to confront climate change with the urgency this crisis demands. The NDC is committed to advancing legislation using every available tool to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 at the latest. The Clean Energy Jobs & Innovation Act included provisions based on several NDC-endorsed bills:

  • Rep. Ami Bera’s H.R. 5760 – The Grid Security Research and Development Act
  • Reps. Mikie Sherrill & Lisa Blunt Rochester’s H.R. 5542 – The Mitigate Methane Now Act
  • Rep. Sean Casten’s H.R. 4230 – The Clean Industrial Technology Act
  • Reps. Bill Foster & Sean Casten’s H.R. 2986 – The Better Energy Storage Technology (BEST) Act
  • Reps. Marc Veasey & Lizzie Fletcher’s H.R. 3607 – The Fossil Energy Research and Development Act
  • Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson’s H.R. 4091 – The ARPA-E Reauthorization Act
  • Rep. Elaine Luria’s H.R. 3306 – The Nuclear Energy Leadership Act
  • Rep. Ben McAdams’ H.R. 3597 – The Solar Energy Research & Development Act
  • Rep. Paul Tonko & Scott Peters’ H.R. 5544 – The American Innovation and Manufacturing Leadership Act
  • Reps. Greg Stanton & Marc Veasey’s H.R. 2088 – To Amend the Energy Independence Security Act of 2007 and to Reauthorize the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant Program
  • Rep. Scott Peters’ H.R. 4143 – The Super Pollutants Act
  • Reps. Ted Lieu & Stacey Plaskett’s H.R. 2360 – The Renewable Energy for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands Act 

“Our country needs to step up and take action to counter the climate crisis. We know that, if we do this right, we can not only help our planet — we can create quality jobs and sustainable economic growth,” said NDC Chair Derek Kilmer (WA-06). “I’m proud that the New Democrat Coalition has continued to lead on this critical issue, authoring so many of the bills included in the Clean Energy Jobs and Innovation Act which passed the House today. This bill is a positive step forward toward investing in green collar jobs that can put American workers back to work and toward addressing the climate crisis. There isn’t a moment to lose.” 

“New Dems understand that addressing the climate crisis, updating our crumbling infrastructure, and reigniting our economy are all connected and that is clearly reflected in the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act,” said NDC Vice Chair Suzan DelBene (WA-01). “Our coalition members contributed to a multitude of policies in this legislation, further cementing us as the forward-thinking thought leaders of the Democratic caucus. This bill will help begin a new chapter in America’s renewable future while also making the necessary investments to lower our carbon footprint and establish the U.S. a global green energy leader.” 

The NDC has been a leader on climate change. These New Dem priorities help advance two key components of the NDC 20 for 2020 Policy Agenda, the “Lead Global Climate Action” and “Transition to a Climate-Forward Economy”. The NDC recently endorsed its third slate of climate change bills to reposition the U.S. as a global leader on climate change, promote innovation, and foster community adaptation and resilience. Earlier this year, the NDC, led by the NDC Climate Change Task Force Co-Chairs, sent a letter to Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer urging House consideration of NDC-endorsed bills that have already passed out of committee and were included in the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis’s Congressional Climate Action Plan. Read the NDC’s Priorities for U.S. Climate Policy, one-pager, and the full list of New Dem-endorsed climate change legislation from the 116th Congress.

--->